Big Idea:
- Awareness that not everyone is "Rich" in Hillsdale, River Vale, and Westwood.
Essential Question:
- Why do most people in upper class communities think that food pantries are only necessary in lower class communities?
Challenge:
- We want to challenge ourselves to inform the community that people you would never expect to go to food pantries actually do sometimes.
Guiding Questions:
- Do you know what a food pantry is?
- Do you know someone who goes to food pantries?
- Do you know some of the reasons that these people go?
Guiding Activities:
- Interviewing a worker at the River Vale Food Pantry
- Doing research on the percentages and amounts of people who come to the food pantries each month.
- Asking the students of Pascack Valley High School questions about food pantries.
- Make a fundraiser at Pascack Valley High School asking for food donations for the local food Pantries. ( Solution)
Interview with employee at River Vale Food Pantry: 1. How many people visit, in general, the food pantry regularly?
About 20 families give or take a few.
2. Why do some people go to the food pantry?
Because the person that usually works lost their job, single parents, long term disability and not
enough income.
3. Would you say that people would be surprised that said amount goes to the food pantry?
No I actually think that there are more people that should be going but are not because of pride.
4. Are there specific months where there is a greater amount of people that go to the food pantry? What months?
Yes, usually during the holiday season.
5. Are there ever shortages in food products or other things?
Yes,all the time, especially now.
6. Do you think the food pantry is necessary? Why?
Yes, because there are people around that are helped. If there is free food then a family can
save a little to put towards the other fees in life-gas/electric, rent,
mortgage, shoes.
7. What kinds of people go to the food pantry?
All kinds-there is no discrimination of need. All people are subject to being in need.
8. Why do you think people think that upper class towns don't need food pantries?
People are so all consumed with themselves that they can't imagine that the people around them are not at their economic and social scale.
9. Do you think that the opinions of the upper-class society of not thinking they need the food pantry effect the use of the food pantry?
I think it is pride and embarrassment.
10. Are people embarrassed when they go to the food pantry thinking that needing help is a bad thing? Sometimes. Some families don't let their kids
know they come and will not come around at all if the children might find
out and then some families bring their kids.
11. Why do you think that is? Is it because of the status of the town?
No, I think people are embarrassed. There is nothing to be embarrassed
about if you are truly trying to make things work and can't. People don't
plan to become disabled, divorced, or lose their jobs. Life happens and
sometimes there are rough patches. You accept help during those times and
move on. You become a better person because of it.
Solution/ Action:
- As a result of all the information we have gathered, we would like to run a food drive in the next few weeks. We would like to make people aware of the food pantries, and raise products such as non soluble foods, toiletries, and other basic necessities. It is very important to make people aware and help others in need. We would like to make the food drives an annual monthly event for not only the Hillsdale food pantry, but for the River Vale food pantry as well. During the winter holiday seasons, we would like to do a toy/present drive as well as the food drive.
Publishing:
- We have created an iMovie to present to the class.
Big Idea:
- Awareness that not everyone is "Rich" in Hillsdale, River Vale, and Westwood.
Essential Question:
- Why do most people in upper class communities think that food pantries are only necessary in lower class communities?
Challenge:
- We want to challenge ourselves to inform the community that people you would never expect to go to food pantries actually do sometimes.
Guiding Questions:
- Do you know what a food pantry is?
- Do you know someone who goes to food pantries?
- Do you know some of the reasons that these people go?
Guiding Activities:
- Interviewing a worker at the River Vale Food Pantry
- Doing research on the percentages and amounts of people who come to the food pantries each month.
- Asking the students of Pascack Valley High School questions about food pantries.
- Make a fundraiser at Pascack Valley High School asking for food donations for the local food Pantries. ( Solution)
Guiding Resource:
Survey taken by asking students of Pascack Valley High School
Web Sites:
1. http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-facts/hunger-and-poverty-statistics.aspx
2. http://americasgrowarow.org/about-hunger
3. http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/02/nj_food_banks_say_they_served.html
Interview with employee at River Vale Food Pantry:
1. How many people visit, in general, the food pantry regularly?
About 20 families give or take a few.
2. Why do some people go to the food pantry?
Because the person that usually works lost their job, single parents, long term disability and not
enough income.
3. Would you say that people would be surprised that said amount goes
to the food pantry?
No I actually think that there are more people that should be going but are not because of pride.
4. Are there specific months where there is a greater amount of people
that go to the food pantry? What months?
Yes, usually during the holiday season.
5. Are there ever shortages in food products or other things?
Yes,all the time, especially now.
6. Do you think the food pantry is necessary? Why?
Yes, because there are people around that are helped. If there is free food then a family can
save a little to put towards the other fees in life-gas/electric, rent,
mortgage, shoes.
7. What kinds of people go to the food pantry?
All kinds-there is no discrimination of need. All people are subject to being in need.
8. Why do you think people think that upper class towns don't need food
pantries?
People are so all consumed with themselves that they can't imagine that the people around them are not at their economic and social scale.
9. Do you think that the opinions of the upper-class society of not
thinking they need the food pantry effect the use of the food pantry?
I think it is pride and embarrassment.
10. Are people embarrassed when they go to the food pantry thinking that
needing help is a bad thing? Sometimes. Some families don't let their kids
know they come and will not come around at all if the children might find
out and then some families bring their kids.
11. Why do you think that is? Is it because of the status of the town?
No, I think people are embarrassed. There is nothing to be embarrassed
about if you are truly trying to make things work and can't. People don't
plan to become disabled, divorced, or lose their jobs. Life happens and
sometimes there are rough patches. You accept help during those times and
move on. You become a better person because of it.
Solution/ Action:
- As a result of all the information we have gathered, we would like to run a food drive in the next few weeks. We would like to make people aware of the food pantries, and raise products such as non soluble foods, toiletries, and other basic necessities. It is very important to make people aware and help others in need. We would like to make the food drives an annual monthly event for not only the Hillsdale food pantry, but for the River Vale food pantry as well. During the winter holiday seasons, we would like to do a toy/present drive as well as the food drive.
Publishing:
- We have created an iMovie to present to the class.